Combined seal and lubrication system



March 8, 1949. w LUNDQUIST Er 2,463,890

COMBINED SEAL AND LUBRICATION SYSTEM 2 Sheds-Sheet '1 I Filed Dec. 9, 1944 IIL.

ATTORNEY March 1949- w. s. LUNDQUIST EI'AL' 2,463,890

COMBINE-D SEAL AND LUBRICATJIDON szsmu 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1944 TORS UNDQUIST. SDLLIN en WILTON E. L FERDINAND P.

AT'TEIRNEY Patented i COMBINED SEAL AND LUBRICA'I'ION SYSTEM Wilton GiLundquist, Hohokus, and Ferdinand P.

Soilinger, Paterson, 'NTL, assignors to Wright erinautical Corporation, a corporation of New Application December 9, 1944, Serial No. 567,376

1 I v 10 Claims. (01. 808-127) V '2 This invention relates to bearings and is parshaft I is provided with a sleeve i4 secured 1" ticulariy directed to the provision of amethod thereto and a bushing I8 is disposed between the and/or means for scavenging oilfrom abearsleeve I4 and the bearing support l2. Lubricating. In addition; the invention comprises a mething oil from a supply tank or reservoir I8 is sup- 7 'od and/era; for providing a gas seal at plied to the hollow of the shaft ill by a pump 20 an end of albearing, through a passage indicatedschematically at 22. 'In a pressurelubricated plain bearing, it is The sleeve I4 is providedwith an annularsroove conventional pr actice to permit the oil supplied 24,.and the shaft i0 and sleeve l4 are each proto the bearingl to escape from one or both ends of vided with one or more radial drillings 2B and the bearinginftda collecting chamber from which 10 28 communicating with the annular groove 24 it is returnedjmliagsupply reservoir for recirculaand with the hollow of the shaftili, whereby luft ion. lt-is'anl object of this invention to collect bricatin oil issupplied through the shaft iii to V theioil leaving an end of a bearing in an annulus the center of bushing It. With this construction,-

rotating'withthejbearing journal. It is a further lubricating oil flows oppositely from the'center objectof this-invention to use the centrifugal of the bushing It to the opposed ends of the bear- :{force acting on;the oil in this rotating annulus ins. v .7

, to force the 'oil therefrom back through a return An inwardly facing annular channel or groove passage into an. oil reservoir. In this way; the 30 is provided at each end ofthe'bearing for col-. bearing provides its own scavenge pump for relecting the oil flowing therefrom. Each channel turning the lubricating oil therefrom. This scavcomprises annular members 32 and "secured enge pump actiorris particularly effective in contogether at their outer periphery, for example, nection with heating journals having high rotaby bolts 38. The annular members 32 are tive speeds because of the large centrifugal forces clamped to the shaft l0 with the sleeve i4 and resulting therefrom. spacing sleeves 38 and 40 between a shoulder 42 It isa further object of this invention to use and a put on the shaft iii; The annular memthis rotating, annulus of lubricating oil at one ber 34 extends inwardly from its outer periphery end of the bearing to provide a gas seal. Thus, toward the shaft ill but terminates in spaced refor example in a blower or turbine installation lation thereto and together with the annular there may be a considerable gas pressure differmember 32 defines the annular channel 30. In ential between the ends of a bearing which it is 9 this way,- the oil escaping rrom'each end of the desired-togseal to prevent leakage of gas across bearing impinges onthe adjacent rotating annuthe bearing. Iniaccordance with the present inlar member 32 and is thrown radially outward by vention, such' awgas pressure differential may be the centrifugal force acting thereon into the aneffectively sealedby extendin an annular baffle nular channels 30. The annular rotating memmember into the rotating annulus of oil at one or bers 32 may be provided with radially disposed both ends of the'bearing. Other objects of this vanes 46 and 48 as best seen in Figure 2 of the invention willbecome apparent upon reading the drawing in order to insure rotation of the oil annexed detailed description in connection with therewith. the drawing in which: An annular baiile member 50 is secured to each Figure 1 is an'axial section along line i--i of end of the hub of' the fixed bearing support i2 Figure 3 through a bearing and journal therefore by bolts 5i and each of the baflle' members 50 embodying the invention and schematically iilusextend into their associated oil collecting chantrating the lubricating oil flow circuit; nels 3i). Each of the baille members 50 is provid- Figure 2 is an end view of one of the annular ed with a plurality of inwardly extending pasmembers forming the annular oil collecting chansages 52 and a similar passage 52' disposed at the nel and illustrating the vanes thereon; and under or bottom side of its associated baflle mem- Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line her. The passages 52' are hereinafter further- 33 of Figure 1. described. The inner ends of passages 52 are Referring to the drawing, a hollow shaft I ii is alined with passages 54 in the bearin support journaled withinaflxed bearing support I2,. 'I'he I2 which communicate with an. annulus 50 in the hub of the bearing support. The bearing support;l2 is also provided with a drain passage 58 extending downwardly from the annulus 56 cacao 9o Y and communicating with a conduit indicated the side of the adjacent annular member 32 and its vanes 46 whereby this oil is caused to rotate and the resulting centrifugal force throws the oil outwardly into the annular channel 36. The

oil is held in each'annular channel 36 by the centrifugal force acting thereon, the vanes 48 helping to keep the oil annulus rotating with the associated annular channel 30. When the radial depth of the oil annulus within each channel 30 covers the open ends of the associated passages 52, the centrifugal force on the oil within the channels 36 tends to force oil through these passages 52 and thence into passage 54, annulus 56, drain passage 58, and back into the oil reservoir l8. With a suflicient speed of rotation of the shaft ill, the centrifugal force acting on the oil within the rotating channels 30 will force oil therefrom back into the reservoir I8. In this way, each bearing in effect is provided with a pair of centrifugal pumps for returning the oil leaving the two ends of the bearing back to the oil reservoir.

The periphery ofeach baiiie member 50 preferably is provided with a radial extension 6| of reduced thickness on its side adjacent the bearing thereby defining a shoulder 63. The shoulder 63 is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced cut-out sections 62 and each of the passages 52 is partially directed into the direction of rotation of the oil annulus at an outer end of one of the cut-out sections 62, the direction of rotation being indicated by the arrow in Figure 3. In this way, the 011 within each of the rotating channels 36 is forced or pumped into the passages 52 not only by the centrifugal force acting on the oil but also by the impact pressure of the moving oil within each channel 30 relative to the facing open ends. of their associated passages 52.v

The radial extensions 6| of the baflle members 56 extend into their associated oil annuli and channels 30 to provide a gas seal across each baflie member 50, that is a seal is provided between each side of the bearing support l2 and the adjacent end of the bearing. For example, as viewedin Figure l, with the left hand side of the bearing support 12 subjected to a relatively high pressure, this pressure will displace the oil within the left hand channel 30 on opposite sides of the associated baflie member 50 and its extension 6| as illustrated, until the difference in the radial depths of the oil on the two sides of this atmospheric pressure there will be little or no difference in theoillevel in the channel 36 on opposite sides of the right hand baffle member 50.

The entrance ends of the passages 52 are dis- I posed a'substantial distance radially inwardly oi the outer'periphery of the radial extension 6| of their associated baille members 56, and therefore since each annular channel 36 fills with oil to'a radial depth sufficient to cover the open endof its passages 50, each baille member 50 projects a substantial distance into its associated oil annulus.

This projection of each baflle member 50 into its associated oil annulus radially beyond the entrance ends of the oil passages 52 permits a substantial relative displacement of the oil on opposite sides of the baflle member in response to a pressure differential thereacross without diseturbing the seal effected by the oil annulus and baffle member and without disturbing the return of oil through passages 52. As indicated by the arrow in Figure 3, the open outer ends of the passages 52 partly face against the direction of rotation of the annular channel 30 thereby facilitating circulation of oil from said-channel into out into the drain passage 58. As a further means said passages.

In order to prevent spilling the inner edge of annular member 34 when the shaft I 0 stops rotating, the cross sectional area of the channel 30 is designedsuch that the entire quantity of the oil normally rotating therein can be accommodated in the lower portion of the channel between 'annular members j32 and 34, Also, thepassage 52' opening into the bottom ofeach channel 30 communicates with a passage 64 in the bearing support l2 which, instead of open-v ing into the annulus 56, opens'into an annular passage 66 about the drain passage 58 and formed by a sleeve member 68 securely fitted within the drain passage 58. .The annular passage defined about the sleeve member 68 is' closed at its upper end except for communication with the passage 64 and its lower end extends down to a point below the open end of the associated passage 52.

In this way, oil is pumped through each bottom V passage 52'aswel1 as through passages 52, into .drain passage 58' back into the reservoir and in addition each bottom passage 52' and the communicating passages-54 and 66 define 'a siphon whereby when the shaft lllstops rotating, the oil annulus within each channel 30 drains into its lower portion from which the oil is siphoned to prevent oil from spilling out of the channels baflle member is such that the difference in the I centrifugal forces acting onthe oil on the two sides of the baffle memberjust balances the gas pressure differential on opposite sides of the baiiie member. Similarly, the baffle member 50 and oil annulus at the right hand side of the bearing provides a gas seal betweenthe opposite sides of this baflie member. If the pressure on the right hand side of the bearing support issubstantially 30, each baffle member 50 and annular member 34 are respectively provided with overlapping flanges 10 and I2.

Asan illustration of a specific use of the present invention, the shaft-l6 may comprise a shaft of a gasturbine with the left hand side of the the bearing support subjected to the pressure of the turbine motive fluid; Also at this point it should be noted that in a particular installation it may only be necessary or desirable to provide the aforedesc ribed rotating oil annulus construction at one end of the bearing.

While we have described our invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it willbe obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding our invention, thatvari'ous changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. We aim in the appended claims to cover all such m0di-- fications. I

We claim as our invention: 1. In combination, a'rotatable journal, a bearout of theioil over w 5 x ing structure therefor, means for supplying oil for lubricating the bearing surface of said journal, rotatable means providing an inwardly facing annular channel adjacent one end of said bearing structure and adapted to receive oil leaving said bearing structure end to provide a rotating oil annulus therein. and a flxed annular baille mem ber extending within said annular channel and into said 011 annulus.

2. In combination, a rotatable journal, a'bearing structure therefor, means for supplying oil for lubricating the bearing surface of said journal, means secured to said journal adjacent one end of said bearing structure and providing an inwardly facing annular channel disposed about and in communication with said bearing end such that oil leaving said bearing end is received within said channel to provide a rotating oil annulus therein, and an annular baffle member secured to said bearing structure and extending within said annular channel, said baille member having an oil drain passage opening into said channel.

3. In combination, a rotatable journal, a bearing structure therefor, means for supplying oil for lubricating the bearing surface of said journal, means secured to said journal adjacent one end of said bearing structure and providing an inwardly facing annular channel disposed about and in communication with said bearing end such that oil leaving said bearing end is thrown outwardly into said channel, and an annular baflle' member secured to said bearing structure and extending within said annular channel, said baflie member having an oil drain passage opening into said channel, the periphery of said annular baflie member extending radially outwardly into said channel a substantial distance beyond the channel end of said passage.

4. In combination, a rotatable journal, a bearing structure therefor, means for supplying oil for lubricating the bearing surface of said journal, means secured to said journal adjacent one end of said bearing structure and providing an inwardly facing annular channel disposed about and in communication with said bearing end such that during journal operation the oil leaving said bearing end is received within said channel to provide a rotating oil annulus therein, and an annular baffle member extending within said channel and into said oil annulus, said bailie member having one or more oil drain passages opening into said channel inwardly of the outer periphery of said annular bafile member within said channel.

5. In combination, a rotatable journal, a bearing structure therefor, means for supplying oil for lubricating the bearing surface of said journal, means secured to said journal adjacent one end of said bearing structure and providing an inwardly facing annular channel disposed about and in communication with said bearing end such that during journal operation the oil leaving said bearing end is received within said channel to provide a rotating oil annulus therein, and an annular bafile member secured to the hub of said bearing structure and extending outwardly therefrom into said channel and said oil annulus, said bafile member; having one or more oil passages opening into said channel inwardly of the outer periphery of said annular baflle member within said channel, said one or more oil passages communicating with a drain passage within said bearing structure.

6. In combination, a rotatable journal, a bearing structure therefor, means for supplying oil for lubricating the bearing surface of said journal,

means secured to said journal adjacent one end of said bearing structure and providing an inwardly facing annular channel disposed about 5 and in communication with said bearing end such 10 bearing structure and extending outwardly therefrom into said channel and said 011 annulus, said bailie member having one or more oil passages opening into said channel and communicating with a drain passage within said bearing structure, said baiile member also having an additional oil passage opening into said channel and oil annulus adjacent their bottom and extending upwardly therefrom to an oil passage within said bearing structure which in turnrcommunicates with said drain passage at a level below the channel end of said additional passage.

7. In combination with a bearing, a rotatable journal, means for supplying oil for lubricating the bearing surface of said journal, means secured to said journal adjacent one end of said bearing and providing an inwardly facing annular channel disposed about an'ddn communication with said bearing end such that during journal operation the oil leaving said bearing end enters said annular channel ito :provide .;arotating oil annulus thereinand-means providing an oil .pas-

sage opening at one end into said channel and' oil annulus adjacent their bottom and extending upwardly utjofsaid channel "and then downwardly intocommunication with adrain passage at a level below its saidone end" 8. In combinatiom'a -1'Otat8bleij0l1l1lfll, a hear-- ing structure therefor, means for supplying oil for lubricating the bearing surface ofsaid journal,

means rotatable adjacent one end of said bearing structure and providing an inwardly facing annular channel disposed about and in communication with said bearing end such that oil'leaving said bearing end is received within said channel to provide a rotating oil annulus therein, and an annular fixed baille member extending into said channel and the oil annulus therein, said annular bafile member having an oil drain passage opening into said channel inwardly of the outer periphery of said annular baffle member within said channel.

9. In combination, a rotatable member having an inwardly facing annular channel, means for supplying a liquid to said channel to provide a liquid annulus therein upon rotation of said mem-" her, and an annular baffle member extending into said channel and adapted to extend into said liquid annulus, said baflle member having a liquid drain passage openin into said channel radially inwardly of the outer periphery of said bailie member within said channel and radially outwardly of the inner edge of said channel.

10. In combination, a rota-table member having an inwardly facing annular channel, means for supplying a liquid to said channel to provide a liquid annulus-therein upon rotation of said member, and an annular baffle member extending into said channel and adapted to extend into said liquid annulus, 'said baffle member having a liquid drain passage opening into said channel radially inwardly of the outer periphery of said baiile member within said channel and radially outwardly of the inner edge of said channel, the

radially outer ends of said passages at least partly moths amt the direction of rotation or add Number v channfl. 1,070,809

q WILTON G. LUNDQUIST. 1,369,11Q FERDINAND P- BOLIJNGER. 1,684,341 1 5 1,784,104 REFERENCES CITED 1 303 929 The tollowin: references are of record hi the 1,879,627 me of this patent: Y 2,133,879

V nun'zn's'm'msm'mms 7 Number Name 1am Number 832,877 Richards Oct. 9, 190a 15-539 1,014,150 Richardson Jan. 16, 1912 Mendenhall Sept. 27, 1932 Thearl e Oct. 18, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS v Country Date Australia Dec. 12, 1933 

